Dimensionally Stable Aqueous Gel for Delayed Water Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing self-destructing transdermal therapeutic systems (TTS) face difficulties in reliably introducing water during production due to the lack of imperviosity in sealed pouches, which is necessary for activation, leading to potential premature activation and misuse of active ingredients.

Innovation Solution

The use of low-ester pectin-based gels, activated by calcium salts, or depolymerized guar gum and polyacrylate gels activated by organic acids, ensures a temporally delayed release of water within a closed, liquid-tight packaging, allowing for impervious sealing and preventing premature activation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sealed pouches are used to contain water reservoir during production, then the packaging provides containment, but the pouches lack imperviosity due to condensing water vapor during sealing, leading to potential premature activation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimperviosity of sealed pouchVSAvoiddifficulty of introducing water into pouch

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A water-soluble polymer coating is applied to the inner surface of the pouch to act as an intermediary barrier. This coating prevents water vapor condensation during sealing while still allowing water to pass through after application, thereby ensuring pouch imperviosity during production and enabling reliable water containment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The physical-chemical properties of the pouch surface are modified by applying a water-soluble polymer coating that changes its permeability characteristics. The coating provides water vapor barrier properties during sealing (high resistance) but becomes permeable after water application (low resistance), resolving the contradiction between containment and water introduction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If water is introduced into the pouch during production, then activation can occur, but premature activation and misuse of active ingredients may occur due to lack of reliable impervious sealing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrolled activation of systemVSAvoidpremature activation and misuse risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The pouch is pre-coated with a water-soluble polymer that creates a water vapor barrier before sealing. This preliminary action ensures that no water vapor condenses during the sealing process, maintaining pouch imperviosity and preventing premature activation until water is deliberately introduced after production

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The water-soluble polymer coating serves as a mediator that blocks water vapor during sealing but allows liquid water to pass through after application. This intermediary layer ensures reliable impervious sealing during production while enabling controlled water introduction and activation only when intended

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach ensures reliable and controlled release of water for activation, preventing misuse of active ingredients by ensuring the system self-destructs after use, while maintaining integrity during storage and transport.

Implementation Method 1

Through the use of such a wafer and through addition of a calcium salt, such as calcium chloride, water emerges owing to synaresis from the gel structure of the wafer with a temporal delay

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSynaresis:

Implementation Method 2

Pectins having a degree of esterification (DE °) below 50%, i.e., with less than 50% esterified polygalacturonic acid units, are capable of gelling with calcium ions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGel structure: Gel

Data Source

PatentUS12433851B2Controlling water release from a dimensionally stable aqueous composition

Publication Date: 2025.10.07 LTS LOHMANN THERAPIE SYST AG

AI summary

The invention relates to systems formed from closed liquid-tight packaging and a preferably dimensionally stable aqueous composition which is sealed therein and which, upon activation, releases a liquid phase essentially composed of water in a time-delayed manner. The invention further relates to methods for manufacturing such systems and the use thereof during the production of self-decomposing transdermal therapeutic systems (TTS).